Buick Reenters Wagon Market With 2018 Regal TourX

It’s been awhile since the Buick Roadmaster wagon roamed the streets of America. Nonetheless, delete the image of that family truckster from your mind, because the Buick wagon has returned for the better. Today the 2018 Buick Regal TourX was formally revealed with a few luxury niche cars as its primary target.

The Regal TourX is not a surprise. We’ve known it was in the works for awhile now and the content of it is equally unsurprising. The new Regal is essentially the Opel Insignia TourX, borrowed from GM’s former European division.

While the ties between the Regal and Opel are hardly new, the idea of using Opel’s wagon in the U.S. is a new concept after being long-rumored.

The 2018 Regal TourX is exclusively powered by GM’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 250 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Likewise, the only transmission option is an eight-speed automatic unit.

From a content perspective, the TourX appears to have what it takes to rival the likes of the Audi A4 AllRoad, BMW 3 Series Sport Wagon and Volvo V60 Cross Country. The TourX is offering a host of active safety features, such as pedestrian alert with auto braking, adaptive cruise control and a safety feature that opens the hood by about four inches in the event of a pedestrian strike (a feature nearly required to meet European safety regulations).

On the entertainment side, GM’s usual suspects will be found on the new Regal, including a standard seven-inch touchscreen with an optional eight-inch unit for navigation. The touchscreen will, in part, control a Bose audio system with active noise cancellation. Additionally, 4G LTE WiFi is standard like most GM products.

In addition to the rugged looking TourX, there will also be a Regal Sportback (basically a hatchback). The five-door variant of the car is replacing the Regal sedan entirely. In the Sportback model, the same 2.0-liter engine will power the front or all four wheels, only the torque figure is reduced to 260 pound-feet when equipped with front-wheel-drive.

Both the 2018 Regal Sportback and TourX will arrive in Buick dealerships this fall.

About Nick Saporito

AutoVerdict Senior Editor Nick Saporito began writing about cars at age 13. Nick ran a couple of automotive enthusiast sites for several years, before taking some time off to focus on his career and education. By day he's a marketing executive in the telecom world and by night he hangs out here at AV. You'll find him focusing on tech, design and the industry's future.

I'm not foolish enough to post that Buick is anything but an entry level luxury brand....just like Acura and Lincoln are right now. Buick has been marketed as a cut above Chevrolet, Ford, or Honda for a very long time now, just like Acura and Lincoln. It's nowhere near Mercedes, Lexus, or Cadillac....just like Acura and Lincoln.

I've rented a lot of Fusions, Regals and MKZs.....the Regals area lot more cramped, which is evident from the driver's seat and in the rear seat. It's never been a real mid sized offering, which is an area where the upcoming Regal should improve. The Regal hasn't been comparable to larger, cheaper mainstream mid sized cars for a while. It's always been Buick's version of a luxury sports sedan.

The Regal is notably smaller than the MKZ/Fusion - which is especially evident from the drivers seat or to rear passengers. The old Acura TL dwarfed it.

Try again:

Fusion is 191.7 inches length Regal is 190.2 inches length

Fusion wheelbase 112.2 inches Regal is 107.8 inches

Fusion width 72.9 inches Regal is 73.1 inches

member12

Your personal preference for interior is noted. Lincoln has started to finally pay attention to their's in the past year or two. But that doesn't change the fact that Buick is, and has always been a premium entry level luxury brand slotted below luxury brands like Cadillac, Mercedes, Audi and above mainstream brands like Ford, Honda, Toyota, and Chevrolet. That's the same pool where Lincoln is trying to reinvent itself today.

I'd argue Lincoln has done a better job on interiors longer than that. The MKT while ugly and not practice has always had a very nice interior. Lincoln has been using real woods also in their interiors for a very long time, Mark VIII had it, my old LS had real wood, even Town Cars before they were moved to livery only had real wood inserts. Their low spot was the 2006 Zephyr too much plastic on the dash.

member12

Because up until last year, they were trying to pass these badge engineered Fords off as their flagship sedan and crossover:

lol up until last year and you post a 2006 MKX.

member12

And yes, the new Continental is as you say a "top hat" even though it is based on the Fusion and shares body panels, wheelbase, and powertrians with the Chinese Taurus. The LaCrosse has been a "top hat" for even longer. So has the Acura TLX, MDX, and Buick Enclave.

Like it or not, Buick and Lincoln are both entry level luxury brands right now. I know you hate that, but it doesn't matter. It's just a fact.

You have posted a lot of inaccuracies I am not sure where you get your information but the Continental does not share a single body panel with the Chinese Taurus nor wheelbase. Continental is 117.9 in Chinese Taurus is 116.1 inches. The only engine shared is the 2.7 EcoBoost. The 3.7 and 3.0 TT are unique to Lincoln. So I guess that's not fact since most of what you posted was wrong.

Like products same class. Regal is their mid size offering and not compact, that would be the Verano.

The Regal is notably smaller than the MKZ/Fusion - which is especially evident from the drivers seat or to rear passengers. The old Acura TL dwarfed it.

Andrew_L

I think Buick offers some nice products but they don't fit the bill for Luxury based on interior materials and very low base prices.

Your personal preference for interior is noted. Lincoln has started to finally pay attention to their's in the past year or two. But that doesn't change the fact that Buick is, and has always been a premium entry level luxury brand slotted below luxury brands like Cadillac, Mercedes, Audi and above mainstream brands like Ford, Honda, Toyota, and Chevrolet. That's the same pool where Lincoln is trying to reinvent itself today.

Trust me I have been very critical of Lincoln in the past I think they are on the right path now but to call them just rebadges of Ford products and nothing more than Buick is insane.

Because up until last year, they were trying to pass these badge engineered Fords off as their flagship sedan and crossover:

And yes, the new Continental is as you say a "top hat" even though it is based on the Fusion and shares body panels, wheelbase, and powertrians with the Chinese Taurus. The LaCrosse has been a "top hat" for even longer. So has the Acura TLX, MDX, and Buick Enclave.

Like it or not, Buick and Lincoln are both entry level luxury brands right now. I know you hate that, but it doesn't matter. It's just a fact.

In the last year or two, Lincoln has done an excellent job with their interiors. That doesn't change the fact that Buick is a premium brand and an entry level luxury brand just like Acura, Volvo, and Lincoln.

So plastic wood and cloth manual seats standard is luxury? You still haven't answered that question all you do is defect to Lincoln being on Ford platforms. Cadillac shares platforms, so does Lexus, so does Audi, so

member12

Why are you comparing the base price of the compact luxury sport sedan from Buick with the high end models from Toyota, Ford, and Nissan?

You can get a Chevy Impala optioned up to $41,000. Does that make Lincoln's $36,000 MKZ or Buick's $36,000 LaCrosse less of a premium product?

Like products same class. Regal is their mid size offering and not compact, that would be the Verano. Impala is a full size. My point is the Regal starts at 27k you can get main stream mid size seadans that offer the same content for the same price which is in line with Buick.

member12

And offering a Ford Taurus for $44,000, Ford Escape for $32,000, a Ford Edge for $37,000, or a Ford Fusion for $34,000 is somehow considered the pinnacle of badge engineered luxury?

By your twisted logic Mercedes Benz isn't a luxury brand because of their $25,000 Mercedes-Benz Metris. Neither is Acura because they offer a $27,990 Acura ILX.

I suppose you'll try to argue that Lincoln is superior to Audi because Audi has chosen to offer a $31,000 compact sports luxury sedan and Lincoln has not? Or that because the BMW X1 has a starting price less than the Lincoln crossovers that they are no longer considered a luxury good?

I have already addressed this with you and you ignored it you should try to read my posts. Badge engineering is essentially the same exact car with a different badge on it. Aside from Navigator show me a Lincoln prodcut that shares every body panel with their Ford counterpart. Also MKC, MKX, and Continetal all use modified versions of their Ford platforms. MKC is wider and longer than the Escape, same with MKX and Continental. That's not badge engineering that's different tophats same thing Cadillac does with the XTS, and XT5. Or are those badge engineered to you as well?

Stop twisting my posts and accusing me of saying stuff I haven't said. I never said Lincoln was superior I am AGAIN comparing LIKE prodcuts. Lincoln doesn't offer small crossovers like that. PRODCUT TO PRODCUT.

member12

False. Consumer's Reports ranks them with other luxury products. It would be ridiculous not to.

No one is arguing that Buick is the same level as Cadillac or Mercedes-Benz, but they are entry level luxury cars or a "premium brand" as some would say. Thus their price premium over the mainstream vehicles on which they are based - just like Acura and Lincoln.

I am talking about SALES NUMBERS not what CR classifies its cars under

member12

BTW...you know who sells the most vehicles over $44,000 in the USA? Chevrolet and Ford. Not Lincoln, Buick, Lexus, or any premium nameplate.

That that is mostly in part due to pickup trucks which is a whole different ballgame.

Trust me I have been very critical of Lincoln in the past I think they are on the right path now but to call them just rebadges of Ford products and nothing more than Buick is insane. No I don't think they are at the same level as Cadillac BMW or MB but they are not mainstream in the slightest. I think Buick offers some nice products but they don't fit the bill for Luxury based on interior materials and very low base prices. There are fairly large gaps in Buick's base prices compared to Volvo and Lincoln. Yes you can option up Buicks but you can also option up Volvos and Lincolns and the gap widens even more. Lincoln has 2 models that top out in the 80k territory, Volvo has some models that top out over 100k. This is a territory that Buick isn't at.